London, Ont. professor and retired Anglican priest charged with sexual assault

TORONTO — A 69-year-old history professor and retired Anglican priest has been charged in connection with sexual abuse allegations involving three First Nations men from 1977 to 1983.

Police said that in 1977 David Norton was an Anglican priest at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in the Chippewa of the Thames First Nations reserve, just outside of London, Ont.

The incidences of sexual abuse allegedly began that year at Norton’s home London, when the alleged victims were seven years old, and ended in 1983, when they were 12, police said.

Norton has been charged with three counts of indecent assault on a male and one count of sexual assault. He has been released from police custody and will appear in court on Jan. 7.

Archdeacon of the Diocese of Huron Tanya Phibbs told Global News that the Diocese was “deeply saddened” by the allegations, adding that Norton had retired from active ministry in 2011 but still had a permit to work as a priest — which was suspended Friday.

Jane Antoniak, communications manager for Western University, said Norton had worked as a part-time professor in the history department of King’s University College, which is affiliated with Western but does not share faculty, since 2003.

She added that he had been put on a leave of absence with pay pending the outcome of the investigation.

The investigation is ongoing and police are also determining the specific “geographical area” for which Norton was responsible as part of their investigation.

Anyone with information in relation to these, or similar incidents, is asked to call the London Police or Crime Stoppers.